Cynthia Gayle Harris

Cynthia Gayle Harris of Hardy, Virginia, passed from this earth on February 1, 2023, at the young age of 62 after a brief, but ferocious fight with pancreatic cancer.

She was preceded in death by her father-Eugene Painter; Grandmothers-Lelia Faris & Mary Aistrop;  Grandfathers-Clarence Faris & Berry Bowling; Parents in law-Minor Lee & Phyllis Harris; Sister in law- Phyllis Lee Browning; Bothers in law-Eddie Embrey & Gary Browning; Niece-Courtney Woodson; and Great Nephew-Caleb Ramsey.

She is survived by her Mother-Shirley Painter;  Husband of 43+ years-Warren Harris; Children-Kimberly & Jason Poff and Morgan Harris; Grandchildren-Tyler & Rylan Poff; Siblings-Stormy (Keith) Woodson, Samantha (Tom) Reynolds, and Bryan (Tonya) Painter; Sisters in law-Marilyn Embrey and Nancy (Jeff) Fletcher; Nieces-Brittany & Bryana Woodson, Georgene (Will) Brown, Tracey (Josh) Ramsey, Melanie (Paul) Wood, Ashley (Nick) Peters, and Lee Browning; Nephews-Mark (Jenny) Embrey, Jeremy Fletcher, and Isaac Painter; also many aunts, uncles, cousins, great nieces and nephews  and dear friends that she loved tremendously.

Cynthia Harris will be remembered for her fear of the Lord, which was as deep and abiding as her fierce love for her family. She will be honored for the many lives she touched over a lifetime of service to others-Beginning in her teenage years as a volunteer at UVA followed by 30 years working as a nurse at UVA Hospital Labor and Delivery, then into pain management, family medicine and wrapping up with Carilion Orthopedic in Roanoke.  She can be credited with founding the Nelson County Health Fair which provided free athletic physicals and necessary healthcare to her community.  

Cynthia was known for her laugh and for her playful sense of humor. She especially loved an over-the-top joke with her siblings and nieces. She treasured nature and all God’s beauty that surrounded her, and every year, she looked forward to displaying & enjoying the decorative lights at Christmas. The sunset years of her life were spent at Smith Mountain Lake, discovering a new love of kayaking, jet skiing, boating around the lake and watching her grandchildren grow into the gracious adults they are becoming. 

To her family, she was the glue that held everyone together. To her community, she was a caregiver with an endless well to draw from. To know her was to know a Proverbs 31 woman-a person whose worth was far more than rubies. While a day will never go by that she is not sorely missed, we celebrate her life and keep her memory close to us, so that she can carry on in stories, laughter, and holiday lights. 

To her last breath, Cynthia embodied an unshakeable faith and grace that could only come from the Lord. For those who place their faith in Christ have a life which cannot be taken away, and those that believe in the Lord shall never die. Amen.

In lieu of flowers, the family would be honored to have donations made in Cynthia’s memory to the Carilion Children’s Hematology/Oncology Department in Roanoke.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, February 11th, 2023 at 4:00 PM, followed by a meal and fellowship with those who loved her at Oak Hill Baptist Church ,725 Davis Creek Ln. Lovingston, VA 22949 with Pastor Bryan Painter officiating.

Arrangements by Wells/Sheffield Funeral Chapel, Lovingston, VA (434-263-4097).